Cooling system and method for decoaters

ABSTRACT

A cooling system for the decoating system includes a sensor, a control device, and a controller communicatively coupled with the sensor and the control device. The sensor is configured to measure a characteristic of the cooling system in the decoating system, the control device controls the characteristic of the cooling system, and the controller is configured to adjust the control device to adjust the characteristic of the cooling system based on at least one of a measured temperature within the decoating system or the measured characteristic. A method of controlling a temperature of the decoating system includes measuring a temperature within a piece of equipment of the decoating system and measuring a characteristic the cooling system in the piece of equipment of the decoating system. The method includes controlling the cooling system to adjust the characteristic based on at least one of the measured temperature or the measured characteristic.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/568,644, filed on Sep. 12, 2019 and entitled COOLING SYSTEM ANDMETHOD FOR DECOATERS, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/730,049, filed on Sep. 12, 2018 and entitled COOLINGSYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECOATERS, both of which are hereby incorporatedby reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to decoating systems for metal recycling, andmore particularly to cooling systems and methods for decoating systems.

BACKGROUND

During metal recycling, metal scrap (such as aluminum or aluminumalloys) are crushed, shredded, chopped, or otherwise reduced intosmaller pieces of metal scrap. Oftentimes, the metal scrap has variouscoatings, such as oils, paints, lacquers, plastics, inks, and glues, aswell as various other organic contaminants such as paper, plastic bags,polyethylene terephthalate, sugar residues, etc., that must be removedthrough a decoating process before the metal scrap can be furtherprocessed and recovered. During the decoating process, the metal scrapis fed into a decoater or kiln, and then is heated up to remove thecoatings from the metal scrap. Sometimes, the organic compounds from thecoatings raise temperatures inside the decoater, which may result inthermitting (burning of metal inside the decoater) or other seriousdamage to the equipment of the decoating system.

SUMMARY

The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “thepresent invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly toall of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below.Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit thesubject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of thepatent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patentare defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various embodiments of the invention andintroduces some of the concepts that are further described in theDetailed Description section below. This summary is not intended toidentify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor isit intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of theclaimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood byreference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of thispatent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a method ofcooling a decoating system with a cooling system includes measuring atemperature within a piece of equipment of the decoating system. Themethod also includes measuring a coolant characteristic of a coolantdispensed by a sprayer of the cooling system into the piece of equipmentof the decoating system and receiving the measured coolantcharacteristic. The method further includes adjusting a coolant controldevice to adjust the coolant characteristic based on the measuredtemperature and the measured coolant characteristic such that thecooling system provides cooling with the coolant to a desiredtemperature.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a coolingsystem for a decoating system includes a sensor configured to measure acoolant characteristic of a coolant dispensed by a sprayer into thedecoating system. The cooling system also includes a coolant controldevice controlling the coolant characteristic of the coolant. Thecooling system further includes a controller communicatively coupledwith the sensor and the coolant control device. In some aspects, thecontroller is configured to adjust the coolant control device to adjustthe coolant characteristic of the coolant based on a measuredtemperature within the decoating system and the measured coolantcharacteristic such that the cooling system provides cooling with thecoolant to a desired temperature.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method ofcontrolling a temperature of a decoating system with a cooling systemincludes measuring a temperature within a piece of equipment of thedecoating system, measuring a characteristic the cooling system in thepiece of equipment of the decoating system, and receiving the measuredcharacteristic. The method includes controlling the cooling system toadjust the characteristic based on at least one of the measuredtemperature or the measured characteristic such that the cooling systemprovides at least one of a desired temperature or a desiredcharacteristic.

According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a coolingsystem for a decoating system includes a sensor, a control device, and acontroller. The sensor is configured to measure a characteristic thecooling system in the decoating system. The control device controls thecharacteristic of the cooling system, and the controller iscommunicatively coupled with the sensor and the control device. Thecontroller is configured to adjust the control device to adjust thecharacteristic of the cooling system based on at least one of a measuredtemperature within the decoating system or the measured characteristicsuch that the cooling system provides at least one of a desiredtemperature or a desired characteristic.

Various implementations described in the present disclosure can includeadditional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannotnecessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all suchsystems, methods, features, and advantages be included within thepresent disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and components of the following figures are illustrated toemphasize the general principles of the present disclosure.Corresponding features and components throughout the figures can bedesignated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistencyand clarity.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for a decoating systemaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for a decoating systemaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for a decoating systemaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for a decoating systemaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a decoating system including thecooling system of FIG. 2 according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart depicting a cooling control process for adecoating system according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting a cooling control process for adecoating system according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart depicting a cooling control process for adecoating system according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart depicting a cooling control process for adecoating system according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is another diagram of a decoating system including the coolingsystem of FIG. 2 according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a portion of the decoating system of FIG.10 taken along line A-A in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a portion of the decoating system of FIG.10 taken along line B-B in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 13 is a detail view of a portion of the decoating system of FIG. 10taken from detail circle C in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of the decoating system of FIG.10 taken along line D-D in FIG. 10 .

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a portion of the sprayer in the decoatingsystem of FIG. 10 .

FIG. 16 is a front view of a sprayer of a cooling system according toaspects of the current disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the sprayer of FIG. 16 .

FIG. 18 is a rear view of the sprayer of FIG. 16 .

FIG. 19 is a front view of a sprayer of a cooling system according toaspects of the current disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the sprayer of FIG. 19 .

FIG. 21 is a rear view of the sprayer of FIG. 19 .

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system for a decoatingsystem according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram of a decoating system including thecooling system of FIG. 22 according to aspects of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 24 is a graph illustrating the capacity of a kiln having a coolingsystem according to aspects of the current disclosure compared to thecapacity of a kiln without a cooling system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of examples of the present invention is describedhere with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but thisdescription is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of theclaims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, mayinclude different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction withother existing or future technologies. This description should not beinterpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among orbetween various steps or elements except when the order of individualsteps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic of an example of a cooling system 100 for adecoating system according to aspects of the present disclosure. Invarious examples, the cooling system 100 generally includes a controller102, a sprayer 104, a coolant control device 106 that controls a coolantcharacteristic of a coolant that is dispensed by the sprayer 104 intothe decoating system, and a sensor 108 that measures the coolantcharacteristic of the coolant. The cooling system 100 may also include atemperature sensor 110 that measures a temperature within the decoatingsystem, such as within a kiln, an afterburner, a duct between the kilnand afterburner, and/or various other pieces of equipment of thedecoating system as discussed below. It will be appreciated that thenumber of coolant control devices 106, sprayers 104, and/or sensors 108should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure. In someaspects, and as discussed in detail below, one sensor 108 and/or onecoolant control device 106 are associated with a particular sprayer 104;however, in other examples, one sensor 108 and/or one coolant controldevice 106 may be associated with a plurality of sprayers 104. FIG. 22illustrates another example of a cooling system 2200 for a decoatingsystem. The cooling system 2200 is substantially similar to the coolingsystem 100 except that the cooling system 2200 also includes an oxygencontrol system 2205 and an organics control system 2207. The oxygencontrol system 2205 controls an oxygen level within the decoatingsystem, such as within the kiln, and the organics control system 2207controls the concentration of organic compounds within the decoatingsystem. Various suitable sensors 2209 for the oxygen control system 2205and/or the organics control system 2207 may also be included. Thesensors 2209 may detect one or more characteristics about the gasflowing through the decoating system and may include, but are notlimited to, oxygen sensors, organic compound sensors, atmosphericsensors, combinations thereof, or other suitable sensors as desired. Inother examples, a cooling system for a decoating system includes atleast one of the sprayer 104 and coolant control device 106, the oxygencontrol system 2205, or the organics control system 2207. Thus, whilethe following description may only refer to the cooling system 100, itwill be appreciated that the description is equally applicable to thecooling system 2200.

The controller 102 may be any suitable processing device or combinationof devices, and is communicatively coupled with the coolant controldevice 106 and the sensor 108. The controller 102 is alsocommunicatively coupled with the temperature sensor 110, and optionallymay be communicatively coupled with the sprayer 104. As discussed indetail below, the controller 102 is configured to control the coolantcontrol device 106 during a decoating process to control the coolantcharacteristic of the coolant. The controller 102 may control thecoolant control device 106 based on a measured temperature by thetemperature sensor 110 within the decoating system and a measuredcoolant characteristic by the sensor 108 such that the cooling systemprovides cooling with the coolant to a desired temperature.

The controller 102 may also be communicatively coupled with the oxygencontrol system 2205, the sensors 2209, and/or the organics controlsystem 2207. As discussed in detail below, the controller 102 isconfigured to control the oxygen control system 2205 during thedecoating process to control an oxygen concentration within thedecoating system during the decoating process. In some examples, thecontroller 102 controls the oxygen control system 2205 based on anoxygen level, gas composition, or other data detected by the sensor2209. As discussed in detail below, the controller 102 is configured tocontrol the organics control system 2207 during the decoating process tocontrol the concentration of organic compounds within the decoatingsystem during the decoating process. In some examples, the controller102 controls the organics control system 2207 based on data detected bythe sensor 2209.

The sprayer 104 selectively dispenses the coolant into the decoatingsystem during the decoating process. Coolants include, but are notlimited to, water, water with oils, halide salts (as a solid coolant ormixed with water or another fluid), air or other cooling gas, and/orvarious other materials suitable for cooling the decoating system (e.g.,for reducing a temperature of gas of the decoating system). The sprayer104 may be various suitable devices or combination of devices suitablefor dispensing the coolant, and the type of sprayer 104 should not beconsidered limiting on the current disclosure. The sprayer 104 may bepositioned at various locations in the decoating system, including, butnot limited to, the kiln, the afterburner, the duct between theafterburner and kiln, a subset of these locations, and/or various otherlocations. In some aspects, a type of sprayer 104 in one location of thedecoating system may be different from a type of sprayer 104 in anotherlocation of the decoating system, although it need not be.

In some aspects, the sprayer 104 includes a plurality of sprayers 104.Various numbers of sprayers 104 may be provided at different locationswithin the decoating system, and the number of sprayers at one locationmay be the same as or different from the number of sprayers at anotherlocation of the decoating system. The sprayers 104 are configured tooperate at elevated temperatures that may be present during thedecoating process. As some non-limiting examples, the sprayers 104 maybe operable at temperatures from about 550° C. to about 1000° C., suchas from about 800° C. to about 1000° C. In other examples, the sprayers104 may be operable at temperatures lower than about 550° C. and/orgreater than about 1000° C. In various examples, the sprayer 104 may beoriented at various angles with respect to a flow path of heated gasthrough the decoating system such that the coolant is dispensed atvarious angles with respect to the flow path. As some non-limitingexamples, the sprayer 104 may be oriented to dispense coolant at about0°, about 1°, about 2°, about 3°, about 4°, about 5°, about 6°, about7°, about 8°, about 9°, about 10°, about 11°, about 12°, about 13°,about 14°, about 15°, about 16°, about 17°, about 18°, about 19°, about20°, about 21°, about 22°, about 23°, about 24°, about 25°, about 26°,about 27°, about 28°, about 29°, about 30°, about 31°, about 32°, about33°, about 34°, about 35°, about 36°, about 37°, about 38°, about 39°,about 40°, about 41°, about 42°, about 43°, about 44°, about 45°, about46°, about 47°, about 48°, about 49°, about 50°, about 51°, about 52°,about 53°, about 54°, about 55°, about 56°, about 57°, about 58°, about59°, about 60°, about 61°, about 62°, about 63°, about 64°, about 65°,about 66°, about 67°, about 68°, about 69°, about 70°, about 71°, about72°, about 73°, about 74°, about 75°, about 76°, about 77°, about 78°,about 79°, about 80°, about 81°, about 82°, about 83°, about 84°, about85°, about 86°, about 87°, about 88°, about 89°, and/or about 90° withrespect to the flow path. In other examples, angles greater than about90° may be utilized. Moreover, where a plurality of sprayers 104 areprovided, a subset of the sprayers 104 may be at an angle that isdifferent from the angle of another subset of the sprayers 104, althoughthey need not be.

The coolant dispensed from the sprayer 104 has a coolant characteristic,and the coolant characteristic is controlled by the coolant controldevice 106. In some aspects, the coolant characteristic may be variouscontrollable characteristics or combination of characteristics thataffect or control the cooling provided by the coolant as it is dispensedinto the decoating system. As some non-limiting examples, the coolantcharacteristic may be a fluid flow rate of the coolant though thesprayer 104, a spray angle of the coolant from the sprayer 104, apressure at which the coolant is dispensed from the sprayer 104, apattern in which the coolant is dispensed from the sprayer 104, aposition of the sprayer 104 relative to the flow path, an air flow rateof the coolant, a dispensing time period, and/or various other suitablecontrollable characteristics that affect the cooling provided by thecoolant.

In various examples, the coolant control device 106 may be a device orcombination of devices suitable for controlling a particular coolantcharacteristic. As such, a number and/or type of coolant control device106 should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure. Forexample, in some cases, the cooling system 100 only controls a singlecoolant characteristic, and a single type of coolant control device 106is provided with the system 100. In other examples, the cooling system100 controls a plurality of coolant characteristics, and a plurality ofcoolant control devices are provided, each controlling at least one ofthe plurality of coolant characteristics. In further examples, a coolantcontrol device 106 may control more than one type of coolantcharacteristic.

As one example of the coolant control device 106, the coolant controldevice 106 may be a control valve that selectively controls the flow ofcoolant to the sprayer 104, and the coolant characteristic is the fluidflow rate of the coolant to the sprayer 104. In such examples, thecontrol valve may control the fluid flow rate based on a position of thecontrol valve in the flow path of the coolant that selectively blocks orenables the coolant to flow through the control valve. For example, insome cases, the control valve may be movable to various positions from afully closed position (at which the control valve blocks coolant flowthrough the valve, and the fluid flow rate is 0.0 L/min) to a fully openposition (at which the control valve allows for a maximum fluid flowrate through the valve). In some aspects, the maximum fluid flow ratethrough the control valve may be controlled by the controller 102 duringcooling, and it need not be the fully open position of the controlvalve. In various examples, the minimum fluid flow rate through thecontrol valve may be controlled by the controller 102 during cooling,and it need not be the fully closed position or 0.0 L/min. For example,in some cases, the minimum fluid flow rate during cooling is greaterthan about 0.0 L/min. As one non-limiting example, the minimum fluidflow rate may be about 2.6 L/min. As another non-limiting example, theminimum fluid flow rate may be about 4.9 L/min. In other examples, theminimum fluid flow rate may be less than 2.6 L/min, between 2.6 L/minand 4.9 L/min, or greater than 4.9 L/min, etc. In various non-limitingexamples, the maximum fluid flow rate may be about 65 L/min. In othernon-limiting examples, the maximum fluid flow rate may be about 40L/min. However, in other examples, the maximum fluid flow rate may beless than about 40 L/min, between 40 L/min and 65 L/min, or greater than65 L/min, etc.

As another example of the coolant control device 106, the coolantcontrol device 106 may be a pressure controller, and the coolantcharacteristic is the pressure at which the coolant is dispensed fromthe sprayer 104. In such examples, the pressure controller 102 mayselectively control the pressure of the coolant (e.g., increasingpressure, decreasing pressure, etc.) such that the coolant is dispensedat a desired pressure. As one non-limiting example, the pressurecontroller may be controlled by the controller 102 such that thepressure is from about 2.0 kg/cm² to about 4.0 kg/cm²; however, in otherexamples, the pressure may be less than about 2.0 kg/cm² or greater thanabout 4.0 kg/cm².

As a further example of the coolant control device 106, the coolantcontrol device 106 may be a blower (or air mover) and/or an air flowvalve, and the coolant characteristic is an air flow rate of a coolingair. In such examples, the cooling air may be provided into thedecoating system without requiring the sprayer 104, and cooling with thecooling air may be provided in place of or in addition to the coolantdispensed by the sprayer 104. In such examples where the coolant controldevice 106 is the blower or air flow valve, the blower or air flow valveselectively controls an air flow rate of the cooling air into thedecoating system. As some non-limiting examples, the controller 102 maycontrol the blower or air flow valve such that the air flow rate is fromabout 127 Nm³/hr. to about 265 Nm³/hr. In other examples, the air flowrate may be less than 127 Nm³/hr. or greater than about 265 Nm³/hr.

In another example of the coolant control device 106, the coolantcontrol device 106 may be an adjustable nozzle of the sprayer 104, andthe coolant characteristic is the spray angle of the coolant as thesprayer 104 dispenses it. In such examples, the controller 102 maycontrol a position of the adjustable nozzle such that the spray angle iscontrolled.

Various other types of coolant control devices 106 may be utilized withthe cooling system 100 to control various coolant characteristics.

Referring to FIG. 22 , the oxygen control system 2205 may be a device orcombination of devices suitable for controlling an oxygen level withinthe decoating system, such as within the kiln. As one non-limitingexample, the oxygen control system 2205 may include an air mover (e.g.,a fan) that selectively controls the flow of oxygen that mixes with gasthat is injected into the kiln. In such examples, the oxygen controlsystem 2205 may control the oxygen level by selectively controlling theair flow rate, the volume of air, etc. to provide the desiredtemperature control.

The organics control system 2207 may be a device or combination ofdevices suitable for controlling the concentration of organic compoundsin the gas that is injected into the kiln to control the temperaturewithin the kiln. As one non-limiting example, the organics controlsystem 2207 may be a diverter between the kiln and an afterburner of thedecoating system that selectively diverts some of the exhaust gasexiting the kiln back to the kiln.

In various examples, the controller 102 controls the various componentsof the cooling system 100 (or the cooling system 2200) for the decoatingsystem during a decoating process to control the temperature within thedecoating system.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 22 , in various examples, during the decoatingprocess, the temperature sensor 110 measures the temperature in at leastone of the kiln, the afterburner, and the duct between the afterburnerof the kiln of the decoating system. In certain examples, a plurality oftemperature sensors 110 are provided, and the temperature is measured atmore than one location within the decoating system. In some examples,the controller 102 receives the temperature that is measured by thetemperature sensor 110. The controller 102 may receive the measuredtemperature continuously, at various predetermined intervals, or variouscombinations thereof.

During the decoating process, the sensor 108 measures the coolantcharacteristic of the coolant as it is dispensed into the decoatingsystem. In certain cases, the sensor 108 measures the coolantcharacteristic of the coolant as it is dispensed by the sprayer 104,although it need not. In various examples, the sensor 108 may measure atleast one of the fluid flow rate of the coolant, the fluid pressure, thespray angle of the coolant, the air flow rate, and/or various othercoolant characteristics or combination of characteristics. Thecontroller 102 receives the coolant characteristic that is measured bythe sensor 108, and may receive the measured coolant characteristiccontinuously, at various predetermined intervals, or variouscombinations thereof.

In various examples, the controller 102 determines whether the measuredtemperature by the temperature sensor 110 is at or within apredetermined range of a desired decoating operating temperature. Insome cases, the desired decoating operating temperature may be fromabout 200° C. to about 1000° C., depending on a particular locationwithin the decoating system where the temperature is measured. Forexample, a desired operating temperature within the afterburner maygenerally be higher than the desired operating temperature within thekiln, although it need not be. In other examples, the desired decoatingoperating temperature may be less than 200° C. or greater than 1000° C.

In various cases, the controller 102 determines the cooling providedwith the coolant based on the measured coolant characteristic. In someaspects, determining the cooling includes determining whether themeasured temperature will be maintained, increased, and/or decreasedbased on the measured coolant characteristic.

In certain aspects, based on the comparison of the measured temperaturewith the desired decoating operating temperature, and/or based on themeasured coolant characteristic, the controller 102 adjusts or controlsthe coolant control device 106 to adjust or control the coolantcharacteristic such that the cooling system provides cooling to adesired decoating operating temperature. In some aspects, the controller102 may adjust the coolant control device based only on the comparisonof the measured temperature with the desired decoating operatingtemperature or based only on the measured coolant characteristic.

As one non-limiting example, the coolant characteristic is a fluid flowrate of the coolant, and the coolant control device 106 is a controlvalve that selectively enables fluid flow of the coolant to the sprayer104. In this example, the controller 102 may adjust the coolant controldevice 106 by selectively positioning the control valve at a positionfrom a fully closed position to a fully open position to control thefluid flow rate based on the measured temperature and the measuredcoolant characteristic (i.e., a measured fluid flow rate). In someexamples, the controller 102 adjusts the coolant control device 106 bypositioning the control valve such that the fluid flow rate is from aminimum fluid flow rate to a maximum fluid flow rate based on themeasured temperature and the measured fluid flow rate. Optionally, theminimum fluid flow rate is greater than 0.0 L/min.

As another non-limiting example, the coolant characteristic is a fluidpressure of the coolant and the coolant control device 106 is a pressurecontrol device. In this example, the controller 102 may adjust thecoolant control device 106 by selectively controlling the fluid pressureof the coolant with the pressure control device based on the measuredtemperature and the measured fluid pressure. As a further non-limitingexample, the coolant characteristic is a spray angle of the coolant, thecoolant control device is a nozzle of the sprayer 104, and thecontroller 102 adjusts the coolant control device 106 by selectivelypositioning the nozzle to adjust the spray angle based on the measuredtemperature and the measured spray angle. In another non-limitingexample, the coolant characteristic is an air flow rate, the coolantcontrol device 106 is an air flow valve, and the controller 102 adjuststhe coolant control device 106 by selectively positioning the air flowvalve to control the air flow rate through the air flow valve to thesprayer 104.

Referring to FIG. 22 , in certain examples, controlling the coolingsystem 2200 may include controlling the oxygen control system 2205and/or the organics control system 2207. In some examples, during thedecoating process, the sensor(s) 2209 detect at least one characteristicof gas flowing through the decoating system. In some cases, thesensor(s) 2209 detect at least one of an oxygen level, an organiccomposition in the gas, or other suitable characteristics of the gas.The sensor(s) 2209 may detect the characteristic of the gas at varioussuitable locations including, but not limited to, within the kiln,within the afterburner, within the duct between the kiln and theafterburner, within the duct between the afterburner and the kiln, orother suitable locations. The controller 102 may receive the datadetected by the sensor(s) 2209.

In various cases, the controller 102 determines the temperature controlprovided based on the measured gas characteristic. In some aspects,determining the temperature includes determining whether the measuredtemperature will be maintained, increased, and/or decreased based on themeasured gas characteristic.

In certain aspects, based on the comparison of the measured temperaturewith the desired decoating operating temperature, and/or based on themeasured gas characteristic, the controller 102 adjusts or controls theoxygen control system 2205 and/or the organics control system 2207 toadjust or control the gas characteristic. In some aspects, thecontroller 102 may adjust the coolant control device based only on thecomparison of the measured temperature with the desired decoatingoperating temperature or based only on the measured gas characteristic.

As one non-limiting example, the gas characteristic may be an oxygenlevel or percentage of the gas that is supplied to the kiln, and theoxygen control system 2205 includes an air mover that selectivelycontrols the flow of oxygen to the gas that is supplied to the kiln. Inthis example, the controller 102 may adjust the oxygen control system2205 to increase or decrease the flow and/or volume of oxygen that mixeswith the gas that is supplied to the kiln based on the measuredtemperature and/or the measured gas characteristic.

As another non-limiting example, the gas characteristic may be aconcentration of organic compounds of the gas that is supplied to thekiln, and the organics control system 2207 includes a diverter thatselectively enables fluid flow of the exhaust gas from the kiln to mixwith the gas that is supplied to the kiln. In this example, thecontroller 102 may adjust the organics control system 2207 byselectively positioning the diverter at a position from a fully closedposition to a fully open position to control the flow of the exhaust gasfrom the kiln to mix with the gas that is supplied to the kiln based onthe measured temperature and/or the measured gas characteristic. Incertain optional examples, the controller 102 may selectively positionthe diverter at a position from about 50% open to 100% open (i.e., fullyopen) to further limit the accumulation of organic compounds in thekiln.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate various examples of cooling systems wherein thecooling characteristic is a fluid flow rate (FIG. 2 ), a fluid pressure(FIG. 3 ), and an air flow rate (FIG. 4 ). Although illustrated asseparate cooling systems, it will be appreciated that in variousexamples, the cooling systems of FIGS. 2-4 (or a subset thereof) may beprovided as a single cooling system that controls a plurality of coolingcharacteristics.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cooling system 200 that is substantially similar tothe cooling system 100. In the example of FIG. 2 , the cooling system200 includes three sprayers 104A-C, and each sprayer 104 has a dedicatedcoolant flow line 212A-C from a general coolant flow line 214. Asillustrated, each coolant flow line 212A-C has a coolant control device106A-C (e.g., a control valve) and a sensor 108A-C such that the fluidflow rate to each sprayer 104A-C can be measured and controlledindependently. In various aspects, the coolant control devices mayinclude solenoid valves with limit switches, and/or may be various othersuitable types of coolant control devices. In various aspects, at leastone coolant control device is provided just before and/or proximate toone or more of the sprayers 104A-C such that it can keep coolant insidethe upstream piping available for starting spraying anytime needed atthe required pressure. For example, some of the sprayers are installedbelow the water piping, and without this coolant control device justbefore the sprayer, the coolant in the piping below the sprayer and thepiping header will be drained into the sprayer. In such cases, whenspraying should be started, there may be a delay in spraying andtemperature control because there is no water between the sprayer andthe piping header. In other examples, the coolant control device may beprovided in additional or alternative locations.

In some optional examples, and as illustrated in FIG. 2 , each coolantflow line 212A-C includes additional coolant control devices 222 and/orsensors 224. In various optional examples, the general coolant flow line214 also includes one or more coolant control devices 226 and/or sensors228 such that the coolant characteristic can be measured and controlledfor one or more sprayers as it flows from a coolant supply 230 to thesprayers. In some cases, the sensors 228 may detect a characteristic ofthe coolant that is different from the sensors 108. As one non-limitingexample, the sensors 228 may detect pressure, and the sensors 108 maydetect flow rate.

In certain optional examples, the cooling system 200 includessupplemental sprayers 216A-C, which may also dispense the coolant. Incertain cases, the supplemental sprayers 216A-C may be provided foremergency coolant spraying into a kiln discharge chute when the chute isplugged or jammed. In some cases, once the kiln discharge chute isplugged or jammed, the hot decoated scrap quickly builds up and thescrap may partially melt. In such cases, the supplemental sprayers216A-C may be provided to cool the scrap and/or prevent or reducemelting. In other examples, the supplemental sprayers 216A-C may beprovided at various other locations within the decoating system asdesired.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , in some examples, a single supplemental sprayline 218 is provided for all of the sprayers 216A-C, and thesupplemental spray line 218 has a supplemental coolant control device220 and a supplemental sensor 221 such that the fluid flow rate to thesprayers 216A-C is jointly controlled. In other aspects, each sprayer216A-C may have a dedicated flow line, similar to the sprayers 104A-C.In other examples, the sprayers 104A-C may have a configuration similarto the sprayers 216A-C (i.e., a single coolant control device and asingle sensor control the coolant characteristic for all of the sprayers104). Various other configurations of the sprayers, coolant controldevices, and/or sensors may be provided.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cooling system 300 that is substantially similar tothe cooling system 200, except that the cooling characteristic is afluid pressure, and the coolant control devices 106A-C are pressurecontrollers. In the example of FIG. 3 , each sprayer 104A-C has adedicated pressure supply line 312A-C from a general pressure supplyline 314. As illustrated, each pressure supply line 312A-C has thecoolant control device 106A-C (e.g., pressure controller) and a sensor108A-C such that the pressure to each sprayer can be measured andcontrolled independently for each sprayer. In other examples, a coolantcontrol device and/or sensor may control the coolant characteristic formore than one sprayer.

Similar to the cooling system 200, in some optional examples, eachpressure supply line 312A-C includes additional coolant control devices322 and/or sensor 324. In various optional examples, the generalpressure supply line 314 also includes one or more coolant controldevices 326 and/or sensors 328 such that the coolant characteristic canbe measured and controlled for one or more sprayers as it flows from apressure supply 330 to the sprayers. In the example of FIG. 3 ,optionally, the supplemental sprayers are omitted and/or a pressuresupply line is not provided to supplemental sprayers. In other examples,supplemental sprayers with pressure supply lines and the correspondingcontrol devices and sensors may be provided.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cooling system 400 that is substantially similar tothe cooling system 200, except that the cooling characteristic is an airflow rate, and the coolant control devices 106A-C are air controlvalves. Optionally, an air supply device 430 (e.g., blowers, air movers,etc.) may also be controlled by the controller. In other examples,additional coolant control devices may be provided in addition to theair supply device 430. In the example of FIG. 4 , each sprayer 104A-Chas a dedicated air flow line 412A-C from a general air flow line 414.As illustrated, each air flow line 412A-C has the coolant control device106A-C (e.g., air flow valve) and a sensor 108A-C such that the air flowcan be measured and controlled independently for each sprayer. In otherexamples, a coolant control device and/or sensor may control the coolantcharacteristic for more than one sprayer.

Similar to the cooling system 200, the general air flow line 414optionally includes one or more coolant control devices 426 and/orsensors such that the coolant characteristic can be measured andcontrolled for one or more sprayers as it flows from the air supplydevice 430 to the sprayers.

FIG. 5 illustrates the cooling system 200 with a decoating system 500.For simplicity and clarity of FIG. 5 , only the sprayers 104A-C of thecooling system 200 are illustrated. The decoating system 500 is providedfor illustrative purposes only, and should not be considered limiting onthe current disclosure.

During a decoating process, the decoating system 500 removes coatingsand other organic contaminants from metal scrap, such as aluminum oraluminum alloys, according to aspects of the present disclosure. Thedecoating system 500 generally includes a kiln 502, a cyclone 504 (orother suitable solid/gas separator), and an afterburner 506. Othercomponents such as a recirculation fan 508, a diverter 509, a heatexchanger 510, and an exhaust system may also be included as part of thedecoating system 500. As illustrated in FIG. 5 , the decoating system500 further includes the cooling system 200.

During a decoating process with the decoating system 500, metal scrap501 is fed into the kiln 502. Heated gas 515 is injected into the kiln502 to raise the temperature within the kiln 502 and vaporize theorganic matter without melting the scrap metal. In many cases, theoxygen concentration within the decoating system 500 is maintained at alow level (such as from about 6% to about 8% oxygen) such that theorganic materials do not ignite. For example, within the decoatingsystem, the atmosphere may be 7% oxygen such that the organic compoundsdo not ignite even though they are at elevated temperatures due to thedecoating process. The decoated scrap metal 503 is removed from the kiln502 for further processing and ultimately processing into new aluminumproducts.

Exhaust gas containing the vaporized organic compounds (sometimesreferred to as “VOCs”) exits the kiln 502 through a duct 514, whichconnects the kiln 502 to the cyclone 504. Within the cyclone 504, largerorganic compound particulates are removed from the exhaust gas as dustand ultimately discharged from the cyclone 504 for disposal. From thecyclone 504, the exhaust gas is directed into the afterburner 506.Optionally, some of the exhaust gas from the cyclone 504 may be divertedby the diverter 509 and may bypass the afterburner 506. The afterburner506 incinerates the remaining organic compounds within the exhaust gas,and discharges a heated gas into a duct 516 that leads to the heatexchanger 510 and exhaust system (e.g., a baghouse) or the atmosphere.Optionally, some of the heated gas discharged by the afterburner 506 canbe fed into the kiln 502 and optionally mix with the gas diverted by thediverter 509. The afterburner 506 may include a hot air burner 519 orother suitable device for heating the gas. The temperature of the heatedgas within the duct 516 is greater than the temperature of the exhaustgas from the kiln 502 within the duct 514. For example, in variouscases, the temperature of the exhaust gas within the duct 514 isgenerally from about 250° C. to about 400° C., while the temperature ofthe heated gas within the duct 516 is generally from about 700° C. toabout 900° C. In some examples, some of the heated gas exiting theafterburner 506 is optionally recirculated back to the kiln 502 througha recirculation duct 518. In various examples, and as described indetail below, sprayers 104A-C of the cooling system 200 may be providedto cool a temperature of the heated gas from the afterburner 506 beforethe gas is recirculated back to the kiln 502. Sprayers 104A-C may alsobe provided in the afterburner 506 and/or in the kiln 502 to provideselective cooling within the decoating system 500.

In some examples, the exhaust gas exiting the afterburner 506 throughthe duct 516 is directed through the heat exchanger 510 that reduces atemperature of the exhaust gas. In various examples, some of the cooledexhaust air exiting the heat exchanger 510 may be recirculated throughan air mover back to the kiln 502. In such examples, the air mover mayoptionally be an air supply when the coolant characteristic is an airflow rate. Alternatively or additionally, some of the cooled exhaust airexiting the heat exchanger 510 may be recirculated through an air moverback to the afterburner 506 as cooling air 505 to aid in controlling theatmosphere within the afterburner 506. In such examples, the air movermay optionally be an air supply when the coolant characteristic is anair flow rate. In various examples, additional air movers 513 and 511are provided to supply oxygen (air mover 513) and combustion air (airmover 511) to control the atmosphere within the afterburner 506.

In some aspects, during the decoating process, the concentration oforganic compounds within the decoating system increases, which may leadto dangerous situations within the system. For example, organiccompounds reintroduced into the kiln 502 can release heat energy intothe kiln 502, which raises temperatures inside the kiln 502 and mayresult in thermitting (burning of metal inside the kiln 502) or otherserious damage to the decoating system equipment.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cooling system200 is configured to provide selective cooling at various locationswithin the decoating system 500 (e.g., within the afterburner 506, duct518, kiln 502, etc.) to reduce or prevent thermitting (or otherdangerous conditions). In the example of FIG. 5 , sprayers 104A-C areprovided in the afterburner 506, duct 518, and kiln 502, respectively.Although not illustrated in FIG. 5 , corresponding sensors 108 andtemperature sensors 110 may also be provided in the afterburner 506,duct 518, and kiln 502. As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and2 , based on the temperature measured within the decoating system 500and/or the measured coolant characteristic, the controller (not shown inFIG. 5 ) controls the coolant control devices (not shown in FIG. 5 ) toadjust the coolant characteristic such that the cooling system 200provides cooling with the coolant to a desired operating temperature forthe particular location within the decoating system 500.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling coolingwithin the decoating system according to various examples. In somecases, at a block 602, the controller determines whether the decoatingsystem and/or cooling system are running. If the cooling system and/ordecoating system are not running, the process may end.

In a block 604, the method may include determining whether a temperatureis measured within the decoating system. If the temperature is measuredwithin the decoating system, in a block 606, the controller compares themeasured temperature with the desired decoating temperature. In a block608, after comparing the measured temperature with the desiredtemperature, or if the temperature is not measured, the method mayinclude determining whether a cooling characteristic is measured. In ablock 610, if the method may include comparing the measured coolingcharacteristic with a desired cooling characteristic. In a block 612,after comparing the measured cooling characteristic with the desiredcooling characteristic, or if the cooling characteristic is notmeasured, the method includes determining the cooling needed such thatthe measured temperature is the desired decoating temperature and/orsuch that the measured cooling characteristic is the desired coolingcharacteristic. In a block 614, the controller controls the coolantcontrol device based on the cooling needed such that the measuredtemperature is the desired decoating temperature and/or such that themeasured cooling characteristic is the desired cooling characteristic.Optionally, in a block 616, the process may wait for a predeterminedtime before returning to block 602.

FIGS. 7-9 are flowcharts showing examples of additional methods ofcontrolling the temperature within the decoating system with the coolingsystem. The methods are described with reference to the decoating system500; however, it will be appreciated that such methods could be used tocontrol the cooling in various other decoating systems. FIG. 7 shows anexample of a method 700 of controlling the gas temperature in theafterburner 506 with the cooling system 200. FIG. 8 shows an example ofa method 800 of controlling the temperature of the return gas that isused in the kiln 502. FIG. 9 shows an example of a method 900 ofcontrolling the temperature in the kiln 502. In various cases, themethods 700, 800, and 900 may be performed together or selectively asdesired.

Referring to FIG. 7 , in block 702 of the method 700 for controlling thetemperature of the afterburner 506, a controller determines if thedecoating system 500 is in operation. In various examples, unless thedecoating system 500 is running, the process ends. In block 704, thetemperature of the gas in the afterburner 506 is determined. In variousexamples, the temperature of the gas in the afterburner 706 is sensedthrough one or more temperature sensors, such as a sensor 108. In someexamples, the temperature sensors are within the afterburner 506.Additionally or alternatively, in other examples, temperature sensorsmeasure the temperature of the gas as it exits the afterburner 506.

In block 706, the controller determines whether the temperature detectedin block 704 is at least an afterburner operating temperature. Invarious examples, the afterburner operating temperature is from about700° C. to about 1000° C., such as about 800° C.+/−20° C. In onenon-limiting example, the afterburner operating temperature is about800° C.

In block 707, if the controller determines in block 706 that theafterburner temperature is not at least the afterburner operatingtemperature, the controller determines whether the sprayer 104A for theafterburner 506 is off. In block 709, if the controller determines inblock 707 that the sprayer 104A is not off, the controller reduces thesprayer 104A and/or turns off the sprayer 104A if it is not already offand returns to block 702. In block 709, if the controller determines inblock 707 that the sprayer 104A is off, the controller increases theburner output and returns to block 702.

In block 710, if the controller determines in block 706 that theafterburner temperature is at least the afterburner operatingtemperatures, the controller gradually reduces burner firing of a burnerof the afterburner 506. In block 712, the controller then determines ifthe afterburner temperature is at least a burner set point temperature.In various examples, the burner set point temperature is a temperaturegreater than the afterburner operating temperature and less than anafterburner sprayer set point temperature. In some non-limitingexamples, the burner set point temperature is about 800° C. to about810° C., although various other temperature ranges may be provided. Ifthe controller determines that the afterburner gas temperature is not atleast the burner set point temperature, the process returns to block706. If the controller determines in block 712 that the afterburnertemperature is at least the burner set point temperature, the controllerreduces the burner to a pilot setting such that a stable minimum isretained to safely ignite the organic vapors and prevent explosions inblock 714. Optionally, the controller turns off the burner in block 714.

In block 716, the controller determines whether the afterburnertemperature is at least an afterburner sprayer set point temperature. Invarious examples, the afterburner sprayer set point temperature isgreater than the afterburner operating temperature. In one non-limitingexample, the afterburner set point temperature is about 820° C.,although various other temperatures may be used. If the controllerdetermines that the afterburner temperature is not at least theafterburner sprayer set point temperature, the process returns to block706. If the controller determines that the afterburner temperature is atleast the afterburner sprayer set point temperature, in block 718, thecontroller gradually turns on the sprayer 104A and returns to block 716.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in block 802 of the method 800 for controlling thetemperature of the return gas entering the kiln 502, the controllerdetermines if the decoating system 500 is in operation. Similar to themethod 800, unless the decoating system 500 is running, the processends. In block 804, the temperature of the return gas is sensed throughtemperature sensors, such as sensor 108. In block 806, the controllerdetermines whether the return gas temperature detected in block 804 isat least a kiln operating temperature. In various examples, the kilnoperating temperature is from about 200° C. to about 600° C., such asabout 550° C.+/−20° C. For example, in one non-limiting case, the kilnoperating temperature is about 550° C. In block 808, if the controllerdetermines in block 806 that the return gas temperature is not above thekiln operating temperature, the controller reduces the sprayer outputand/or turns off all of the sprayers if they are not already off,optionally closes the diverter 509 (if it is included) if it is notalready closed, and then returns to block 802.

In block 810, if the controller determines in block 806 that the returngas temperature is at least the kiln operating temperature, thecontroller gradually opens the diverter 509 such that more bypass gas isdiverted from the main gas flow exiting the kiln 502 rather than beingfed into the afterburner 506. In block 812, the controller determineswhether the return gas temperature is at least a return sprayer setpoint temperature. In various examples, the return sprayer set pointtemperature is greater than the kiln operating temperature. For example,in one non-limiting case, the return sprayer set point temperature isabout 570° C., although various other temperatures may be used. If thecontroller determines that the return gas temperature is not at leastthe return sprayer set point temperature, the process returns to block806. If the controller determines that the return gas temperature is atleast the return gas set point temperature, in block 814, the controllergradually turns on the sprayer 104B, and then proceeds to block 806.

Referring to FIG. 9 , in block 902 of the method 900 for controlling thetemperature of the kiln 502, the controller determines if the decoatingsystem 500 is in operation. In various examples, similar to the methods700 and 800, unless the decoating system 500 is running, the processends. In block 904, the temperature of the kiln 502 is sensed throughtemperature sensors, such as sensor 108.

In block 906, the controller determines whether the kiln temperaturedetected in block 904 is at least the kiln operating temperature. Inblock 908, if the controller determines in block 906 that the kilntemperature is not at least the kiln operating temperature, thecontroller reduces the sprayer output and/or turns off the sprayer 104Cin the kiln 502 if it is not already off, and returns to block 902. Inblock 910, if the controller determines that the kiln temperature is atleast the kiln operating temperature, the controller determines whetherthe kiln temperature is at least a kiln sprayer set point temperature.In various examples, the kiln sprayer set point temperature is greaterthan the kiln operating temperature. For example, in one non-limitingcase, the kiln sprayer set point temperature is about 570° C., althoughvarious other temperatures may be used.

In block 912, if the kiln temperature is not at least the kiln sprayerset point temperature, the controller reduces and/or gradually turns offthe sprayer 104C if it is on, and returns to block 906. In block 914, ifthe kiln temperature is at least the kiln sprayer set point temperature,the controller gradually turns on the sprayer 104C or further opens the104C if it is already on, and returns to block 906.

In other examples, controlling the return gas temperature includescontinuously using the sprayers 104A-C, and selectively using thediverter 509 as needed, to further control the return gas temperature.In various other examples, controlling the return gas temperatureincludes continuously using the diverter 509 to direct the bypass gas tomix with the return gas, and selectively using the sprayers 104A-C asneeded to further control the return gas temperature. Numerous otherconfigurations of using the diverter 509 and/or sprayers 104A-C may beimplemented.

FIGS. 10-15 illustrate another example of the cooling system 200 with adecoating system 1000. In various aspects, the decoating system 1000 issubstantially similar to the decoating system 500. In FIG. 10 , thecomponents of the cooling system 200 are illustrated in solid lines andthe other components of the decoating system 1000 are illustrated indashed lines to clarify exemplary locations of the cooling system 200components within the decoating system 1000.

FIGS. 16-18 illustrate an example of a sprayer for the cooling system200, such as the sprayer 104A. In this example, a nozzle of the sprayeris configured to dispense the coolant along an axis that issubstantially parallel with a central axis of the sprayer. In otherexamples, the nozzle of the sprayer may be oriented at various otherangles relative to the central axis of the sprayer, and it need not besubstantially parallel. It will be appreciated that in other examples,the sprayer 104A could have other configurations and/or other sprayersmay have the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 16-18 .

FIGS. 19-21 illustrate an example of a sprayer for the cooling system200, such as the sprayer 104B. In this example, a nozzle of the sprayeris configured to dispense the coolant along an axis that issubstantially perpendicular to a central axis of the sprayer. In otherexamples, the nozzle of the sprayer may be oriented at various otherangles relative to the central axis of the sprayer, and it need not besubstantially perpendicular. It will be appreciated that in otherexamples, the sprayer 104A could have other configurations and/or othersprayers may have the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 19-21 .

FIG. 23 illustrates another example of a decoating system 2300 with thecooling system 2200. The decoating system 2300 is substantially similarto the decoating system 500 except that the cooling system 2200additionally includes the oxygen control system 2205 and the organicscontrol system 2207.

In this example, the oxygen control system 2205 includes the air mover513 and a duct 2305. The oxygen control system 2205 is selectivelycontrolled to control the amount of oxygen that is supplied to mix withthe heated gas 515 that is injected into the kiln 102 to control theoxygen level within the kiln 102.

In this example, the organics control system 2207 includes the diverter509 and a duct 2307. The organics control system 2207 may be controlledto control the amount of exhaust gas (which includes VOCs) that isdiverted to mix with the heated gas 515 (rather than being fed into theafterburner 506). In some examples, the organics control system 2207 iscontrolled such that the diverter 509 diverts from about 50% to about100% of the exhaust gas from the kiln to mix with the heated gas 515 andto control the accumulation of VOCs in the kiln 102.

FIG. 24 is a graph illustrating an example of the capacity of a kilnhaving a cooling system according to aspects of the current disclosure(line 2402) compared to the capacity of a kiln without a cooling system(line 2404). The organic percentage of the scrap determines the capacityof the kiln. Referring to line 2404, a traditional decoating systemwithout a cooling system may run at rater of about 20 tons per hour(TPH) at organic concentrations of about 0% to about 4%. However, aboveabout 4% organic, the capacity must be decreased to minimize the risk ofthermitting other serious damage to the equipment of the decoatingsystem (due to the increased heat from the increased organicconcentration). In contrast, and as represented by line 2402, adecoating system with the cooling system increased the capacity of thekiln by about 65% because the kiln was able to run at increased rates(e.g., about 26.0 TPH) for an increased range of organic concentration(e.g., about 0% to about 8% organic). In this example, the kilnrepresented by line 2402 was controlled by the cooling system such thatthe moisture percentage was a minimum of about 0.3%, a maximum of about4.3%, and an average of about 1.4%. The kiln represented by line 2402was controlled by the cooling system such that the organic percentagewas a minimum of about 3.0%, a maximum of about 10.4%, and an average ofabout 5.2%. In this example, the density (g/cm³) was further controlledto be a minimum of about 108 g/cm³, a maximum of 173 g/cm³, and anaverage of about 143 g/cm³.

A collection of exemplary examples, including at least some explicitlyenumerated as “Examples” providing additional description of a varietyof example types in accordance with the concepts described herein areprovided below. These examples are not meant to be mutually exclusive,exhaustive, or restrictive; and the invention is not limited to theseexample examples but rather encompasses all possible modifications andvariations within the scope of the issued claims and their equivalents.

Example 1. A method of controlling a temperature of a decoating systemwith a cooling system, the method comprising: measuring a temperaturewithin a piece of equipment of the decoating system; measuring a coolantcharacteristic of a coolant dispensed by a sprayer of the cooling systeminto the piece of equipment of the decoating system and receiving themeasured coolant characteristic; and using a coolant control device toadjust the coolant characteristic based on at least one of the measuredtemperature or the measured coolant characteristic such that the coolingsystem provides at least one of a desired temperature or a desiredcoolant characteristic with the coolant.

Example 2. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic comprises atleast one of a pressure of the coolant, a fluid flow rate of thecoolant, and a spray angle of the coolant.

Example 3. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is a fluidflow rate of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is acontrol valve that selectively enables fluid flow of the coolant to thesprayer, and wherein adjusting the coolant control device comprisesselectively positioning the control valve at a position from a fullyclosed position to a fully open position to control the fluid flow ratebased on the measured temperature and the measured fluid flow rate.

Example 4. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein adjusting the coolant control devicecomprises positioning the control valve such that the fluid flow rate isfrom a minimum fluid flow rate to a maximum fluid flow rate based on themeasured temperature and the measured fluid flow rate, and wherein theminimum fluid flow rate is greater than 0.0 L/min.

Example 5. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is a fluidpressure of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is apressure control device, and wherein adjusting the coolant controldevice comprises selectively controlling the fluid pressure of thecoolant with the pressure control device based on the measuredtemperature and the measured fluid pressure.

Example 6. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the piece of equipment comprises atleast one of a kiln, an afterburner, and a duct between the afterburnerand kiln of the decoating system.

Example 7. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is a sprayangle of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is a nozzle ofthe sprayer, and wherein adjusting the coolant control device comprisesselectively positioning the nozzle to adjust the spray angle based onthe measured temperature and the measured spray angle.

Example 8. A cooling system for a decoating system, the cooling systemcomprising: a sensor configured to measure a coolant characteristic of acoolant dispensed by a sprayer into the decoating system; a coolantcontrol device controlling the coolant characteristic of the coolant;and a controller communicatively coupled with the sensor and the coolantcontrol device, wherein the controller is configured to adjust thecoolant control device to adjust the coolant characteristic of thecoolant based on at least one of a measured temperature within thedecoating system or the measured coolant characteristic such that thecooling system provides at least one of a desired temperature or thecoolant with a desired coolant characteristic.

Example 9. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, further comprising the sprayer, and wherein thesprayer is configured to dispense the coolant in at least one of a kiln,an afterburner, and a duct between the afterburner and the kiln of thedecoating system.

Example 10. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the sprayer is a first sprayer, andwherein the cooling system further comprises a second sprayer that isconfigured to dispense the coolant in at least one of the kiln, theafterburner, or the duct different from the first sprayer.

Example 11. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the controller is configured toadjust the coolant control device such that the coolant characteristicof the coolant dispensed from the first sprayer is different from thecoolant characteristic of the coolant dispensed from the second sprayer.

Example 12. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the sprayer is oriented relative toa flow path of a gas through the decoating system such that the sprayerdispenses the coolant at a non-zero angle relative to the flow path.

Example 13. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein an operating temperature of thesprayer is from about 550° C. to about 1000° C.

Example 14. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein an operating temperature of thesprayer is from about 800° C. to about 1000° C.

Example 15. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, further comprising a temperature sensorconfigured to measure the measured temperature within the decoatingsystem.

Example 16. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the temperature sensor is configuredto measure the measured temperature in at least one of a kiln, anafterburner, and a duct between the afterburner and the kiln of thedecoating system.

Example 17. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the temperature sensor is a firsttemperature sensor, wherein the cooling system further comprises asecond temperature sensor that is configured to measure a secondtemperature in at least one of the kiln, the afterburner, or the ductdifferent from the first temperature sensor, and wherein the controlleris configured to control the coolant control device based on the secondtemperature.

Example 18. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic comprisesat least one of a pressure of the coolant, a fluid flow rate of thecoolant, an air flow rate, and a spray angle of the coolant.

Example 19. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is afluid flow rate of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is acontrol valve that selectively enables fluid flow of the coolant to thesprayer, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the coolantcontrol device by selectively positioning the control valve at aposition from a fully closed position to a fully open position tocontrol the fluid flow rate based on the measured temperature and themeasured fluid flow rate.

Example 20. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the controller is configured toposition the control valve such that the fluid flow rate is from aminimum fluid flow rate to a maximum fluid flow rate based on themeasured temperature and the measured fluid flow rate.

Example 21. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the minimum fluid flow rate isgreater than about 0.0 L/min.

Example 22. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the minimum fluid flow rate about2.6 L/min.

Example 23. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the minimum fluid flow rate is about4.9 L/min.

Example 24. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the minimum fluid flow rate is fromabout 0.0 L/min and wherein the maximum fluid flow rate is about 65L/min.

Example 25. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the minimum fluid flow rate is fromabout 0.0 L/min and wherein the maximum fluid flow rate is about 40L/min.

Example 26. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is afluid pressure of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is apressure control device, and wherein the controller is configured toadjust the coolant control device by selectively controlling the fluidpressure of the coolant with the pressure control device based on themeasured temperature and the measured fluid pressure.

Example 27. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the coolant characteristic is aspray angle of the coolant, wherein the coolant control device is anozzle of the sprayer, and wherein the controller is configured toadjust the coolant control device by selectively positioning the nozzleto adjust the spray angle based on the measured temperature and themeasured spray angle.

Example 28. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the nozzle is adjusted such that thespray angle is about 55 degrees.

Example 29. A decoating system comprising the cooling system of anypreceding or subsequent examples or combination of examples.

Example 30. A method of controlling a temperature of a decoating systemwith a cooling system, the method comprising: measuring a temperaturewithin a piece of equipment of the decoating system; measuring acharacteristic the cooling system in the piece of equipment of thedecoating system and receiving the measured characteristic; andcontrolling the cooling system to adjust the characteristic based on atleast one of the measured temperature or the measured characteristicsuch that the cooling system provides at least one of a desiredtemperature or a desired characteristic.

Example 31. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the characteristic is a coolantcharacteristic, and wherein controlling the cooling system comprisesusing a coolant control device to adjust the coolant characteristicbased on at least one of the measured temperature and the measuredcoolant characteristic such that the cooling system provides at leastone of the desired temperature or a coolant with a desired coolantcharacteristic.

Example 32. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the characteristic is a gascharacteristic in the piece of equipment, and wherein the piece ofequipment comprises a kiln of the decoating system.

Example 33. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the gas characteristic is an oxygenlevel within the kiln, and wherein controlling the cooling systemcomprises controlling an oxygen control system of the cooling systembased on at least one of the measured temperature or the measured oxygenlevel such that the cooling system provides at least one of the desiredtemperature or a desired oxygen level.

Example 34. The method of any preceding or subsequent examples orcombination of examples, wherein the gas characteristic is an organicconcentration within the kiln, and wherein controlling the coolingsystem comprises controlling an organics control system of the coolingsystem based on at least one of the measured temperature of the measuredorganic concentration such that the cooling system provides at least oneof the desired temperature or a desired organic concentration.

Example 35. A cooling system for a decoating system, the cooling systemcomprising: a sensor configured to measure a characteristic the coolingsystem in the decoating system; a control device controlling thecharacteristic of the cooling system; and a controller communicativelycoupled with the sensor and the control device, wherein the controlleris configured to adjust the control device to adjust the characteristicof the cooling system based on at least one of a measured temperaturewithin the decoating system or the measured characteristic such that thecooling system provides at least one of a desired temperature or adesired characteristic.

Example 36. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the characteristic of the coolingsystem is a coolant characteristic of a coolant and wherein the controldevice is a coolant control device.

Example 37. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the characteristic of the coolingsystem is a gas characteristic of gas in a kiln of the decoating system.

Example 38. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the gas characteristic is an oxygenlevel, and wherein the control device is an oxygen control system.

Example 39. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent examplesor combination of examples, wherein the gas characteristic is an organicconcentration, and wherein the control device is an organics controlsystem.

The above-described aspects are merely possible examples ofimplementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of theprinciples of the present disclosure. Many variations and modificationscan be made to the above-described example(s) without departingsubstantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure.All such modifications and variations are included herein within thescope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individualaspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to besupported by the present disclosure. Moreover, although specific termsare employed herein, as well as in the claims that follow, they are usedonly in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes oflimiting the described invention, nor the claims that follow.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A cooling system for a decoating system,the cooling system comprising: a sensor configured to measure acharacteristic of the cooling system in the decoating system; a controldevice controlling the characteristic of the cooling system; and acontroller communicatively coupled with the sensor and the controldevice, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the controldevice to adjust the characteristic of the cooling system based on atleast one of a measured temperature within the decoating system or themeasured characteristic such that the cooling system provides at leastone of a desired temperature or a desired characteristic.
 2. The coolingsystem of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the cooling system is agas characteristic of gas in a kiln of the decoating system.
 3. Thecooling system of claim 2, wherein the gas characteristic is an oxygenlevel and wherein the control device is an oxygen control system, orwherein the gas characteristic is an organic concentration and whereinthe control device is an organics control system.
 4. The cooling systemof claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the cooling system is acoolant characteristic of a coolant, wherein the control device is acoolant control device, and wherein the cooling system further comprisesa sprayer configured to dispense the coolant in at least one of a kiln,an afterburner, and a duct between the afterburner and the kiln of thedecoating system.
 5. The cooling system of claim 4, further comprising atemperature sensor configured to measure the measured temperature withinthe decoating system, and wherein the temperature sensor is configuredto measure the measured temperature in at least one of a kiln, anafterburner, and a duct between the afterburner and the kiln of thedecoating system.
 6. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the coolantcharacteristic is a fluid flow rate of the coolant, wherein the coolantcontrol device is a control valve that selectively enables fluid flow ofthe coolant to the sprayer, and wherein the controller is configured toadjust the coolant control device by selectively positioning the controlvalve at a position from a fully closed position to a fully openposition to control the fluid flow rate based on the measuredtemperature and the measured fluid flow rate.
 7. The cooling system ofclaim 4, wherein the coolant characteristic is a fluid pressure of thecoolant, wherein the coolant control device is a pressure controldevice, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the coolantcontrol device by selectively controlling the fluid pressure of thecoolant with the pressure control device based on the measuredtemperature and the measured fluid pressure.
 8. The cooling system ofclaim 4, wherein the coolant characteristic is a spray angle of thecoolant, wherein the coolant control device is a nozzle of the sprayer,and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the coolant controldevice by selectively positioning the nozzle to adjust the spray anglebased on the measured temperature and the measured spray angle.
 9. Acooling system for a decoating system, the cooling system comprising: asensor configured to measure a coolant characteristic of a coolantdispensed by a sprayer into the decoating system; a coolant controldevice controlling the coolant characteristic of the coolant; and acontroller communicatively coupled with the sensor and the coolantcontrol device, wherein the controller is configured to adjust thecoolant control device to adjust the coolant characteristic of thecoolant based on at least one of a measured temperature within thedecoating system or the measured coolant characteristic such that thecooling system provides at least one of a desired temperature or thecoolant with a desired coolant characteristic.
 10. The cooling system ofclaim 9, further comprising the sprayer, and wherein the sprayer isconfigured to dispense the coolant in at least one of a kiln, anafterburner, and a duct between the afterburner and the kiln of thedecoating system.
 11. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the sprayeris a first sprayer, and wherein the cooling system further comprises asecond sprayer that is configured to dispense the coolant in at leastone of the kiln, the afterburner, or the duct different from the firstsprayer.
 12. The cooling system of claim 11, wherein the controller isconfigured to adjust the coolant control device such that the coolantcharacteristic of the coolant dispensed from the first sprayer isdifferent from the coolant characteristic of the coolant dispensed fromthe second sprayer.
 13. The cooling system of claim 9, furthercomprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the measuredtemperature within the decoating system.
 14. The cooling system of claim9, wherein the coolant characteristic comprises at least one of apressure of the coolant, a fluid flow rate of the coolant, an air flowrate, and a spray angle of the coolant.
 15. A cooling system for adecoating system, the cooling system comprising: a first sensorconfigured to measure a temperature within a piece of equipment of thedecoating system; a second sensor configured to measure a coolantcharacteristic of a coolant dispensed by a sprayer of the cooling systeminto the piece of equipment of the decoating system, wherein the coolantcharacteristic is a fluid pressure of the coolant; a control deviceconfigured to control the coolant characteristic, wherein the coolantcontrol device is a pressure control device; and a controllercommunicatively coupled with the first sensor, the second sensor, andthe control device, wherein the controller is configured to adjust thecontrol device to adjust the coolant characteristic such that thecooling system provides at least one of a desired temperature or adesired coolant characteristic with the coolant by selectivelycontrolling the fluid pressure of the coolant with the pressure controldevice based on the measured temperature and the measured fluidpressure.
 16. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the coolantcharacteristic is a first coolant characteristic, wherein the coolingsystem further comprises a third sensor configured to measure a secondcoolant characteristic comprising at least one of a fluid flow rate ofthe coolant or a spray angle of the coolant.
 17. The cooling system ofclaim 15, wherein the coolant characteristic is a first coolantcharacteristic and the coolant control device is a first coolant controldevice, wherein the cooling system further comprises: a third sensorconfigured to measure a second coolant characteristic comprising a fluidflow rate of the coolant; and a second coolant control device, whereinthe second coolant control device is a control valve that selectivelyenables fluid flow of the coolant to the sprayer, wherein the controlleris configured to adjust the second coolant characteristic with thesecond coolant control device by selectively positioning the controlvalve at a position from a fully closed position to a fully openposition to control the fluid flow rate based on the measuredtemperature and the measured fluid flow rate.
 18. The cooling system ofclaim 17, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the secondcoolant control device by positioning the control valve such that thefluid flow rate is from a minimum fluid flow rate to a maximum fluidflow rate based on the measured temperature and the measured fluid flowrate, and wherein the minimum fluid flow rate is greater than 0.0 L/min.19. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the piece of equipmentcomprises at least one of a kiln, an afterburner, or a duct between theafterburner and kiln of the decoating system.
 20. The cooling system ofclaim 15, wherein the coolant characteristic is a first coolantcharacteristic and the coolant control device is a first coolant controldevice, wherein the cooling system further comprises: a third sensorconfigured to measure a second coolant characteristic comprising a sprayangle of the coolant; and a second coolant control device comprising anozzle of the sprayer, wherein the controller is configured to adjustthe second coolant characteristic with a second coolant control deviceby selectively positioning the nozzle to adjust the spray angle based onthe measured temperature and the measured spray angle.